Tara's First Adventure
by Cotton Picker
Summary: After the fall of the morbid Arlong's Park, Tara decided to join the Straw Hat Pirates on thier search for One Piece.
1. Prologue

Hi! I'm Tara, and these are my new friends. The one in the straw hat is the captain, Luffy. He's a really upbeat kind of guy, and can always make anyone smile. First Mate Roronoa Zolo is a great swordsman. He never gives up; but always has time to take a nap.The long nosed boy has great aim and awesome artistic skills. Too bad that he's a bit of a scardey-cat. The pretty Red-headed Navigator is Nami. I've known her for what it seems all my life; and I can now securely say she is one of the best friends I'll ever have. And last, but not least, is our chef, Sanji. He's a bit—well, more than a bit—of a flirt when it comes to a lovely lady (he cooks up treats for Nami and I, how sweet!). And me? I'm the repair girl! I fix our ship up whenever we get into trouble. I think I should talk about what happened lately in our adventures; that IS the reason you came to listen, right?

A while ago, there was a big jerk names Saw-Tooth Arlong. Not only was he a major pain; but he was also my uncle! Every summer I'd go and visit him in Coco village where he made a human girl named Nami—the same one in my crew now—draw maps for him all the time. One day, Nami came back with her new friends that put my uncle Arlong into place! Who's the pew-man now?

After that, Luffy asked me to join his pirate crew. At first I didn't know what to do, because of my previous encounters with a band of fish-men pirates; but I could tell that this rubber man was a generally good guy. Now, I am a member of straw-hat pirates!

We've been sailing around in the Going Merry for a few days now; and we're running low on supplies…I wonder where we will go next...


	2. To Rouge Town!

_Luffy—the Straw Hats Capitan—invited me onto his crew. I was a bit leery about it at first; but I decided that it was for the best. What position could I take? Not a doctor; when it came past tying knots and cleaning out wounds I couldn't tell an antibiotic from a cursed fruit. I have decided to fill in the spot of repair girl. Of course I needed a way to defend myself. For now I'm going to have to rely on sheer merman strength. I know! I'll rummage through Arlong's old arsenal. Good thing he hid the weapons underground. Along with his ability to control pressurized water, I should be all set._

"Are you ready now Tara?" Luffy called out from the shores of Coco Village. "We're about to set sail!" The rubber boy wonder called out once more. "I'm coming! So please wait up!" Yellow-Tang ran up to the ship with two boomerangs with fin-like spikes on the offense edge. However, she held them in her webbed hands as if they were L-shaped daggers. "I'm ready, Luffy!" She smiled on the deck. Tara was to start a new life now, with her new friends.

The two females of the crew were flipping through some newspapers when an ad for a bounty slipped out. "Huh? Is this you, Luffy? Wow, you are worth a ton of berries!" Nami exclaimed at the large sum of money available to the hunter who catches her captain. "It must have been that Nezumi. He put the sum on your head just because you set him off a bit." Tara concluded; as Luffy grinned widely at his newfound 'reward'. "Sanji-sama, what are you making back there?" The mermaid politely asked (much in contrast of Luffy) the ero-chef. "All done for you two lovely ladies!" Sanji's eyes were taken by the shape of his throbbing heart as he served them two flawless fruit salads. "The best of what we got, just for my two roses!" Ero-chef cried out a few gushy love comments before walking off to put out his cigarette. "It looks like we're low on supplies, Luffy." Nami said after tasting some of Sanji's treat. "It's a good thing we're going to Rouge Town to stock up!"

"Whoa, this place is huge! I'm just going to stick with you, Nami. We could go shopping together." Tara said. She was looking forward to spending some berries on clothes for her adventures. "I'm going to go get some food, some fish will do fine," Sanji paused for a second. "No offense, Tara, of course." Usopp the cowardly marksman made his decision on where to go was well. "I guess I'll find some equipment." Usopp and Sanji walked off, and Luffy stood for a sec. "Where are you going, Luffy-san?" The straw hat turned around. "Me? I'm going to see where Gold Rodger was executed!" Then, all of the crewmembers were split up.

"I didn't like any of those fancy clothes, Tara. Let's go find some casual wear." Tara followed Nami was they flocked form store to store, trying on skirt after dress after shirt. "Wow, what a haul you've got, Nami! I only bought warm pants, a pair of small shorts, a few tops and button ups, and a nice pink warm jacket." Tara looked down at what she was wearing now. A button up shirt similar to her uncles—only with white daisies instead of the black swirls—and a white tank top underneath covered the mermaid's upper body. Her lower body was clad in a grass green knee length skirt and sandals with straps that reached to her upper-ankle. "Ooh, these cute boots match my new clothes, too! It'll be great for when we go to snowy regions." The two girlfriends laughed and continued walking around the city, when Nami stooped for a bit and asked a woman for plastic wrappings. "It's not even cloudy out, Nami. Why do we need these?" Tara asked, confused. "The barometric pressure dropped. We're in for a storm."

Meanwhile, everyone's favorite flirting chef wonder was out at the market buying a fresh fish. "This is an Elephant True Blue fin. I caught it myself." Sanji pondered a bit over the huge fish. "I'll take the whole thing." He quickly responded, handing over the money needed for the huge meal-to-be. _Too bad that beautiful lady went away. She was a real good one. There she was in the crowd…Dressed up in a cloak. I wonder…_ "Hey, Usopp, what're you doing here?" Sanji called out to the marksman, whom was observing…dairy products! "Hmm, these are a good deal…"

"Having three swords again is like filling a pit in my soul…" Zolo was walking through the streets with two new weapons. _That woman…she's looks exactly like Kuina…_His mind was hung up on that Tashigi. She knew practically everything about the swords and the special katana from Kuina. As Zolo was thinking about many a-things, Luffy was standing on a huge platform elevated by tens of feet. "This is the exact same place as my hero, the king of the pirates, saw just before he was killed. Wow…" Government officials soon flocked over to the scene Straw-Hat was making and warned him to get down—but he was interrupted by the smash and clash of a very familiar iron club.

"Oh Luffy, I have finally found you! Remember this pretty face?" The once chunky and chubby Iron Mace Alvida was now the sleek and lightweight babe seen before the crowd! "Who is the most beautiful woman of all the seas?"


	3. Never Let A Pirate Get Away Until Today

All of the men, even the goofy clown looking ones, cried out in response. "You are!" Then Alvida chuckled. "I ate a devil's fruit and now I changed! Not like there's a difference; I was always this pretty!" Luffy raised an eyebrow at her comment, and was about to speak up before he was rudely interrupted. "Hee hee hee, remember me? It's Buggy the Clown!" The bauble nosed pirate king let out his comical laugh as his second mate ambushed Luffy. "And Cabaji the Acrobat is going to imprison you. Today is your execution!"

Many of Buggy's men kept out the passer-bys from the town square. "Capitan Smoker! There are some pirates causing a ruckus in the Town Square. One is about to be executed, however." The navy captain who never let a pirate escape from Rouge Town had made his decision. "Wait for the one to be killed. Then we'll move out."

"Sanji, did you just hear that?" Zolo asked. He now caught up with the chef, who was staring up at his captain. Buggy's shard edged sword fell slowly towards Straw-hat's head so full of suspense. "Oh, hey Sanji, hi Zolo. Looks like I'm a goner!" They didn't take Luffy's laughing as an answer to stand by and let their leader become executed; so they took action all over some joker pirate butt. "And now, Luffy's last Brea—ouch!" A bolt of lightning stroke Buggy's hand causing the sword—and the platform—to fall to the ground. "Let's make a run for it, guys!" Luffy commanded, staring to run towards where the ship was docked.

Just as the two pirates were about to make their grand escape, they found themselves trapped under a strange map. "Hey! What's up with this flashy net?" Buggy asked Alvida, quite aggravated. "It's made from seastone; it takes away our devil fruit powers!" As the two pirates were stuck in the net Luffy and company decided to run towards the Merry Go to get out of this place before it really would be the end. "Roronoa Zolo! You tricked me!"

Tashigi was standing in the way holding her katana firmly with a frown on her face. "You lied to me, Zolo. I thought you were a good guy, but now I know you fooled me. I want to duel you!" Zolo's face was pretty puzzled. _I don't recall telling this girl anything...but if she wants to fight…_ "Zolo, I can't believe you'd do this!" A familiar mermaid's voice scolded. "Tara is right. Tricking a lady just isn't right." Sanji pitched in his voice and the rest of the gang left Zolo to duel.

"Jeez, it took you guys long to get here." Nami said to the sect of four. "Sorry Nami, but Zolo was a bit busy, as well with these other two. But we better get going, or else the marines will come after us!" Tara stated as she climbed aboard the Merry Go. "If we follow this storm, we should make it to the Grand Line, you guys." The navigator determined by the winds of the thunderstorm.

And so, First Mate Zolo, Nami the Navigator, Chef Sanji, Repair girl Tara, and not least Captain Luffy were on their way to sail in the Grand Line; where all their dreams will come true…

* * *

I really wanted to finish the Rouge Town arc because I have a great little idea in store. Ciao, baby! CP 


End file.
